Target-throwing device



C. H. NAPIER.

TARGET THROWING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. e, 1920.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

m ibwzoozo and impelling mechanism 3.

CHARLES H. NAPIER, 0F MACON, GEORGIA.

TARGET-THROWING DEVICE. i

Application filed February 6, 1920. Serial No. 356,763.

T 0 all to ham it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. NAPIER, acitizen of the United States of America and a resident of Macon, countyofBibb, state of Georgia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Target-Throwing Devices, of which the following is aspecification. V The main objects of this invention are to provide animproved device for throwing targetsof the type generally known as claypigeons;.to provide animproved arrange ment of the two relatively movingparts by which the throwing is effected; to prcvide improved means forimparting a revolving or whirling motion. to the target as it isdischarged so as to cause it to sail; to provide improved mechanism foractuating the mov- V able part of said device; and to provide animproved constructlon and arrangement of the parts of a device of thiskind, wherebyit may be conveniently used in the hands of a person in amanner similar to that in which a gun is used.v

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which V Figure 1. is a perspective view of theimproved target throwing device.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional detall. Fig. 3 is an enlargedtransverse sectional detail taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. 2, the targetdischarging member being shown in its retracted position preliminary tobeing released for discharging a target.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the friction-surfaced roller carried bythe target discharging member.

In the specific embodiment herein illustrated, the device comprises asupporting member 1, a target discharging member 2,

The supporting member I made up of twosimilarly constructed parts 4 and5, the opposed faces'of which are suitably recessed-rand cut away soasto provide a vertically disposed guideway 6 for the target dischargingmember 2 and a recess 7, separated from the guideway 6 by a partition 8,for housing the impelling mecha- Grooves 9 and 10 are formed intheopposed faces of the respective parts 4 and 5 and located slightly belowthe top of the member 1 so as to provide runways for supporting rollersllonthe target discharging member 2.-, The outer endv of the guideway 1is preferably 6belowthe grooves 9 and 10 and the recess 7 are closed bya block 12, and the rear ends thereof are closed by a handle 13;

A ledge or plate 14 is secured to one side 7 of the member 1 so that theupper face 15 thereof coacts with the top of the parts 4. and 5 toprovldea flat surface over which the target is caused to travel. inbeing dis charged from the device. A guide rail or flange 16 extendsalong the edge of the plate It substantlally parallel to'the guideway 6A strip of friction material 17, preferably rubber, is secured to theguide rail 16 so as to extend inwardly therefrom in spaced relation tothe face15 of the ledge 14.

The target discharging member :2, as

herein shown, is in the form of a; metal block having rollers 11 securedtothe sides thereof and received in the grooves 9 and 10, wherebythemember is reciprocatingly mounted in the guidewayb'. A roller18 issecured on the top of the member2 and has a band of friction material19, preferably rubber, secured to the periphery thereof. A

shoulder 20 is formed onthe under side of the target" discharging member2, which is ,4

adapted to engage, a shoulder 21 on the trigger 22 when said dischargingmember is drawn back to therear end of the guideway 6, A suitable spring23 normally shifts the trigger 22 to bring the shoulder 21 into positionto engage the shoulder 20 on the discharging member 2. A clip or fingerhold. 24 is provided on thememberr 2 rearwardly of the roller 18, bywhich the discharging member 2 is moved into its retracted position. p vThe impelling mechanism for the target discharging member 2 comprises'acable 25, pulleys 26- and 27, and a resilient member 28. The cable 25extends aroundthe pulley 26 located adjacent to the forward end ofthemember 1 below the guideway ti and has theouter end 29 thereof securedto the tar get discharging member 2. The main portion of the cable isdoubled-upon itself in h the recess 7 and has the end 30 thereofconnected to the member l near the pulley 26.

' The pulley 27 is located in the loop formedby thedoubling of the cableupon itself. The member 28 is preferably in the form of a rubber bandloo u a yoke '31 connected to the pulley 27 and'having the ends securedto pins or shoulders32'within the memberl near the trigger 22. This ar-y frangementof the cable requires the resilient member 28 to stretchonly half the distance which the target discharging member 2 is requiredto travel and thereby doubles the effectiveness of the resilient member28.

The handle 13 is shaped so as to be conveniently held. in one hand andthe under side of the member 1 is shaped so as to rest conveniently inthe palm of the other hand, the und r side of the ledge let being alsoshaped so asto conveniently rest against the thumb and adjacent portionof said other hand, thus enabling one to hold the device in the handsand use it in a manner similar to that in which a gun is used.

The device herein shown and described is operated substantially in thefollowing manner:

By means of the finger clip 24 the target discharging member 2 is drawnto the rear end of the guideway 6 until the shoulders 20 and 21. engage,whereupon the member 2 is held in its retracted position. A target 33 isthen placed upon the member 1 and ledge 14: with the rim 34: hearingagainst the friction rim 19 of the roller 18 and located under therubber strip'l? and the periphery resting against the edge of saidstrip.

With the device held in the hands like a gun the trigger 22 is retractedso as to disene the shoulders 20 and 21, whereupon the dischargingmember 2 is shot out to the end of the guideway 6. As the target 33 iscarried along the member 1 and ledge 14-, it is given a rotatingmovement by reason ofits contact with the friction strips 17 and 19, sothat upon being discharged, it tends to sail through the air.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been hereinshown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A target throwing device, comprising a support providing a flatsurface over which a target may be caused to travel, a guide railextending along said surface, a target discharging member adapted tomove a target over said surface for discharging the same om said device,and friction means on said rail adapted to contact with the target andcause the rotation thereof during its travel over said surface. 7

2. A target throwing device, comprising a support providing a flatsurface over which te may be caused to travel, a guide rail extendingalong said surface, a target discharging member adapted to move a targetover said surface for discharging the same from said device, and a stripof rubber secured to said rail and extending outwardly therefrom andspaced awayfrom said surface and adapted to contact with the target andcause the rotation thereof during its travel over said surface.

3. A target throwing device, comprising a support providing a flatsurface over which a target may be caused to travel, a guide railextending along said surface, a target discharging member adapted tomove a target over said surface for discharging the same em said device,and friction means on said rail and said discharging member adapted tocontact with the target and coact therewith and with each other to causethe rotation thereof during the travel along said surface.

A target throwing device, comprising a support providing a flat surfaceover which a target may be caused to travel, a guide rail extendingalong said surface, a target discharging member adapted to move a taretover said surface for discharging the ame from said device, a strip ofrubber seu ed to said rail and extending outwardly herefrom and spacedaway from said surface and adapted to contact with the target, and arotatable part on said member having a friction surface also adapted tocontact with the target and hold the same in contact with said strip andcoact therewith and with said strip of rubber to cause the rotation ofthe target during its travel over said firstmentioned surface.

5. A target throwing'device, comprising a support providing a fiatsurface over which a target may be caused to travel, a targetdischarging member movable along said surface for discharging a targetfrom said device, a cable doubled upon itself and having one endconnected to said member and'the other end to said support, a pulleylocated in the loop formed by the doubling of said cable, and resilientmeans connected to said pulley and said support adapted to provide thepower for moving said member.

6. A target throwing device, comprising a support providing a flatsurface over which a target may be caused to travel, a targetdischarging member movable along said surface for discharging a targetfrom said device, a stationary pulley located at the outer end of saidsurface, a cable extending partly around said. pulley and having the endthereof connected .to said member, said cable being doubled upon itselfand having the other end secured to said support adjacent to saidpulley, a second pulley located in the loop formed by the doubling ofsaid cable, and

resilient means connected to said second pulley and said support andadaptedto provide the power for moving said member.

7. A targetthrowing device, comprising a member, a ledge arranged on oneside of said member and coacting with the top of said member to providea surface over which a target may be caused to travel, said memberhaving. a vertically disposed guideway arranged therein and havinggrooves formed at the sides of said guideway, a block having means onthe sides thereof extending into said grooves for slidably supportingsaid block in said guideway, a pulley located in said member adjacentthe outer end thereof, a cable extending partially around said pulleyand having one end thereof connected to said block, and a resilientmember connected to said support and to said cable and adapted toprovide the power for moving said block outwardly along said guidewayfor discharging a target from said device.

8. A target throwing device, comprising a member, a ledge arranged onone side of said member and coacting with the top of said member toprovide a surface over which a target may be caused to travel, saidmember having a vertically disposed guideway arranged therein and havinggrooves formed at the sides of said guideway, a block having means onthe sides thereof extending into said grooves for slidably supportingsaid block in said guideway, a pulley located in said member adjacentthe outer end thereof, a cable extending partially around said pulleyand having one end thereof connected to said block, said cable extendingrearwardly from said pulley below said guideway and being doubled uponitself and extending forwardly and having the other end thereofconnected to said support adjacent to said pulley, a second pulleylocated in the loop formed by the doubling of said cable, and resilientmeans connected to said pulley and to said support and adapted toprovide the power for moving said block outwardly along said guideway todischarge a target from said device.

9. A target throwing device, comprising a member, a ledge arranged onone side of said member and coacting with the top of.

said member to provide a surface over which a target may be caused totravel, said member having a vertically disposed guideway arrangedtherein and having grooves formed at the sides of said guideway, a blockhaving means on the'sides thereof extending into said grooves forslidably supporting said block in said guideway, a pulley located insaid member adjacent the outer end thereof, a cable extending partiallyaround said pulley and having one end thereof connected to said block, aresilient member connected to said support and to saidcable and adaptedto provide the power for moving said block outwardly along said guidewayfor discharging a target from said device, a handle secured to the otherend of said member, and a trigger arranged adjacent to said handle andnormally urged to engage said block and hold the same in its retractedposition preparatory to being released to discharge a target from saiddevice. 10. A target throwing device, comprisin a support, a ledgesecured to one side 0 said support and coacting with the top thereof toprovide a flat surface over which a target may be caused to travel, aguide rail extending along one edge of said ledge, a target dischargingmember reciprocatingly mounted on said support so as to travelsubstantially parallel to said rail,

and means for normally urging said discharging member toward the outerend of said support. 7

11. A target throwing device, comprising a member, a ledge arranged onone side of said member and coacting with the top of said member toprovide a surface over which a target may be caused to travel, a guiderail extending along one edge of said ledge, said member having avertically dis posed guideway arranged therein and having groove formedat the sides ofsaid guideway, a block having means on the sides thereofextending into said grooves for slidably supporting saidblock in saidguideway, a pulley located in said member adjacent the outer endthereof, acableextending partially around said pulley: and 7 having oneend thereof connected to said block, a'resilient member connected tosaid support and to said cable and adapted to provide the power formoving said blockoutwardly along said guideway for discharging a targetfrom said device, a strip of rubber secured to said guide rail so as toform a friction surface adapted to contact with the target, andarotatable part mount ed on said block and having a'friction surfaceadapted to contact with a target and coact therewith and'with saidrubber strip during the movement ofsaid target along said surface toimpart a revolving motion to the target. I

12. A target throwing device, comprising normally urging saiddischarging member.

toward the outer end of said support, a handlesecured to the other endof said member, and a trigger arranged adjacent to said handle andnormally adapted to hold said member in its retracted position prepara-,

'tory to its being released to cause the discharge of a target.

ary, 1920.

12 5 Signed atChicago this 3d day of Febru CHARLES HINAPIER.

